Capping and sediment-retaining device for bottled beverages



May 13, 1930. B. E. CLARKE ET AL CAPPING AND SEDIMENT RETAINING DEVICE FOR BOTTLED BEVERAGES Filed July 28, 1926 Patented May 13, 1930 Umts STATES4 PATEN oFFlcE BRUCE E. CLARKE, or xANsAscrrv, Missoula, AND ABRAHAM DANCIGER, or

TULSA, OKLAHOMA v f CAPPING- AND SEDIMENT-B/ETAINING DEVICE FOR BOTTLED BEVERAGES Application filed July 28,

This invention relates to a capping and sediment retaining device for bottled beverages. Y

It is Well known that all beverages bottled 5 at home, for home consumption, contain to a greater or less degree, certain insoluble residues of gelatinous and colloidal nature which do not completely precipitate or settle out except through long standing in an undisturbed condition. This precipitate,

which contains the nitrogenousV and albuminoid principles existing normally in the substances entering into the compositionof-the beverage, is easily disburbed either by slight V agitation, or through the liberation of-car-l bon dioxide when the pressure is removed or released, as Will be the case When the cap or other confining member is removed from the bottle, in order to pour out its contents. When the pressure is so relieved, small bubbles of the conined gases are formed at the bottom of the container and rise rapidly to the surface of the liquid. In so doing they envelop small particles of the sediment and carry them to the surface of the liquid Where the gas escapes into the atmosphere, and in so escaping it releases its holden the particles which in turn, due to the force of gravity, fall back again toward the bottom of the 3D bottle. This carrying and subsequent releasing of the precipitate by the released gases progresses so rapidly, and with such Y energy, that the liquid contents of the' bottle is quickly rendered cloudy, thuspresenting r an appearance distinctly displeasing to the eye, and possessing a decidedly unpleasant taste. Further, When the container or bottle is about half empty, by the act of'pouring the liquid into a glass, thefremaining and heavier portions of the sediment become loosened or roiled to such degree that the remaining liquid is muddy in appearance and of an unpalatable taste. The inherent nature p of 'this sediment or precipitate is such that it is very difiicult to remove by any of the means at the disposal of the ordinary home. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a means for retaining and removing the sediment or precipitate, maintaining the '3 normal gas pressure, and capping the coni926. serial No.125/.raay

tainer so as to preserve the contents against bacterial invasion and subsequent serious chemical change, which will render the beverage unfit for human consumption. The only practical ymethod at present employed for the removal ofthe above mentioned precipitate is 'by the use of suction or pressure filters, Which render the beverage clear and sparkling and free'from aV greater portion of thel suspended nitrogenous and colloidal substances. of elaborate and expensive equipment, and the filtering must be completed before the beverage is bottled. All of Vwhich makes the above method impractical if not impossible for home use. "Then too, ifrthe beverage is :[iltered before bottling the carbon dioxide is allowed to escape andmust be replaced by some artificial means after the'beverage is placed in the bottle and the bottle is capped. In practicing the present invention the normal gaseous content of theg'beverage is retained, and the suspended matter and precipitate can be segregatedand removed Without disturbingV or otherwise affecting Vthe liquid itself, and the container can be recapped so that no other capping device or gas retaining means is necessary. In other Words, the present invention serves a manifold purpose in that it is a sediment retainer andeliminator, a capping device, and a gas retaining mechanism so constructed that it is easy of 'manipulation and can be readily and securely attached to the'glass containers now used for storing and preserving home beverages. y

Contrary to popular conception, it has been proven `by yactual experiment that the sediment or precipitate, which forms and is deposited in all home made beverages, has certain definite vand easily determined delete.- rious effects upon the digestive organs. VThis ill effect can be explained, in part at least, by

- saying that the precipitate is composed largely of disintegrated and decomposed protein bodies and certain other chemical substances Which are formed during'the processing of the beverage. The present invention` provides a means for removing, to alarge degree, all of the precipitate, and in so doing it ren- But this method involves the use ders the finished product more pleasing to the eye, more pleasant to the taste', and free from products which produce ill-eects upon the organs of digestion.

In orderthat the invention may be fully understood, the preferred embodiment thereof will now be described in detail, by way of l illustration, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the capping and sediment retaining device as ap"- plied to the neck of the bottle,

Figure 2 is a side elevation in cross-section showing an inverted bottle,sediment collecting chamber and attaching means;

Figure 3 is a crossesectional view taken on line 399-3* of Figure 2, and

l Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a modification of our invention showing the rubber washer mounted on the outsidev of the end wall vof the chamber.

centrally perforated so as to receive the plun-vk ger rod 7, vthe upper end of the plug 4 being recessed as at 12 concentric with the perforation which recess forms aseat and retaining ange for'the conical washer 13. The washer 13 is preferably made of soft rubber and is centrally pierced so as to surround and closely bind the plunger rod 7 thus preventing any escape ofgas or liquid througlrthe opening in the plug 4 and also serving to create a drag, resisting any free mov-ement of rod 7 An alternative form is shown in Figure 4, which comprises a bodyportion 2O forming a chamber 21, the other end of which is closed Vby an integral partition 25. The partition 25 is provided with anv orifice 29, and 'cylindrical receptacle 22 attached to its outer surface, which receptacle contains the rubber block corresponding to that shown at 13 in the other modification, the same being centrally pierced at 28 in alignment with the orifice 29 in a manner to receive the rod 7. The upper end of this embodiment is provided withfthe shoulder 27 and washer 26 and is .adapted to be attached to the end of the bottle b means of the retaining ring 24, similar to t e construction operation of the corresponding parts in the other modification.

-. The attaching ring-3 is fspuf in Order* una it 4may be placed, over the flanged lenlargement on the outer end of theneck ofthe bottle and being ladapted to receive the ,chamber member 2 which is screwed onto the lower portion thereby restricting the ringcausing it to tightly bind the flanged end of the bottle and also causing the internal flange of the cham'- ber member 2 to be drawn closely to the edge of the bottle and to force the washer. .6 into intimate engagement with these parts. The plunger rod 7 is provided at its lower end with an enlargement 8 which renders it convenient for manipulation. -The upper end of plunger `rod 7 is provided with a flexible sealing washer 9 which is attached in any conven ient manner, such as shown in Figure 2, between two metal disks 10 and binding straps 11.

In operation, after the bottle lhas been filled with the beverage and the capping and sediment retaining device 'applied as above described, the bottle is placed for a predetermined period in its inverted position, as shown in Figure 2, the plunger -rod 7 ,at this time ybeing in elevated position and being so held by the drag offered'by the binding action of the washer 13. This position permits the suspended particles under the influence of gravity to collect in chamber 2 during which time the contents remain sealed. 'lfVllen it is desired to permanently cap thefbottle, the rod 7 is withdrawn toran extent suiiicient to cause the sealing wash-er 9 -to tightly engage internally the restricted portion of the bottle as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, thus causing the clarified beverage to be'completelyseparated from the sediment and at the same time maintaining fthe beverage in its charged condition. vPlug 4 may then be re` movedby turning the roughened gripping flange 5 and the' sediment disposed of. The' bottle is then turned to its upright position', the capping and sediment retaining device is then removed and-the bottle recapped by any of the conventional means now'in use. v

Our invention affords means whereby it is made possible to efficiently separate the sediment from the beverage employing the natural settling action by gravity and permitting a disposal of, thesediment without allowing thecontents of the bottle to become exposed to the Yair or the escape of gas therefrom.

It is not to be construed fromthe foregoing that the device as above described is the only ,way in which it can be constructed and applied. Even though a valve be introduced within thesediment retaining chamber 2, it would not affect or change the underlying principle'embodied in thepresent invention, nor would the provision of some `other means for attaching the device to the vbottlecontainer alter the ultimate results. attained through the working of the .present invention.

We claim: v f

1.V In a capping and sediment retaining :de-

vice ,for bottled beverages, a container for sedi-ment having.afthreaded upper Iend, Vand a port through which it ,communicateswiththe interior of the bottle container, a bottle at'- taching ring engaging said threads, a plunger rod and seal, the plunger rod extending through said container and into the interior of a bottle and being adapted to be operated at will.

2. In a capping and sediment retaining device for bottled beverages of substantially the character described, a pressure retaining cap having a recess, a plunger rod passing through Cil its upper end through which it communicates 1 with the interior of the bottle container, a closure for said lower port, an attaching member for securing it to the bottle and forming a seal therewith, a plunger rod and head extending through said chamber into the bottle adapted to have closing engagement with the neck of the bottle, said plunger rod hav- Ying its outer end extended `beyond said device for manual control.

4. In combination with a bottle, a sedimentcollecting device comprising a cap member having a chamber therein, a ring forengaging the top of the bottle having means for attaching said cap thereto, said caphaving means cooperating with said last named Y means, and acting while in position to bind s of July, 1926.

said ring o-n said bottle and means extending through said cap into said bottle for separating said chamber from the interior of said bottle. A

Signed at Tulsa, Oklahoma, this 20th day BRUCE E. CLARKE. ABRAHAM DANCIGER. 

